Globalizing western life style is not possible because more than two planets earth would be needed to supply the resources. This means that the creation of material wealth will have to be dematerialized sharply in the future. Even if sufficient resources can be found on the earth by China at this time for copying western technology, mounting short- ages will force a different technical approach. Without a stable ecosphere, the human economy is not sustainable. The biggest environmental threat of the present mode of creating wealth is the enormous resource intensity with which products, buildings and infrastructures are produced and used. On the average, more than 90% of the resources lifted from the nature are wasted before a product or service has been produced. From a sustainability point of view, the economic model behind this development is a massive failure. Technically it is possible to create equal or better prosperity for mankind with tenfold lesser use of natural resources. So there are two powerful reasons why China may wish to embark soon on a new way to serve its people. Using less resource saves money and puts the country in an ad- vantageous position with respect to its survival and export potential. This means that the creation of material wealth will have to be dematerialized sharply in the future. Even if resources can be found on the earth by China at this time for copying western technology, mounting short- ages will force a different technical approach. Without a stable ecosphere, the human economy is not sustainable. The biggest environmental threat of the present mode of creating wealth is the enormous resource intensity with which products, buildings and infrastructures are produced and used. On the average, more than 90% of the resources lifted from the nature are was before a product or service has been produced. From a sustainability point of view, the economic model behind this development is a massive failure. Technically it is possible to create equal or better prosperity for mankind with tenfold lesser use of natural resources. So there are two powerful reasons why China may wish to embark soon on a new way to serve its people. Using less resource save money and puts the country in an ad- vantageous position with respect to its survival and export potential.